I Forgive You

The healing power of forgiveness is well-attested, but rarely is it presented to us framed so aptly in the Scriptures. Wendy Alsup gives us more than a pat proverb or a hurried how-to. She retells at length an ancient forgiveness story both beautiful and true, interweaving it with her own story of hurt and healing. She invites us to examine our own capacity to fight to forgive by the power of the Spirit of grace that lives within us. As I read, I contemplated with fresh resolve those to whom I could grant forgiveness, and those whose forgiveness I should seek.

From the first page to the last, I read this book with a lump in my throat and sometimes tears in my eyes. I experienced what I think most readers will experience as they read it—a connection to its stories and truths as one who has both resisted extending forgiveness and needed to be forgiven. While admitting that it might take time and will likely be messy and complex, Wendy makes the miracle of grace required for forgiveness, confession, repentance, and release seem possible. This is the hope we all need to take a step forward.

This is an honest book. Alsup is not writing an abstract treatise on forgiveness and reconciliation, but has rather interwoven the deeply personal threads of her own story with a profound and extended meditation on the life of Joseph and his protracted reconciliation with his brothers. If you’ve been wounded and need a patient friend on the fragile path of redemption, I would highly commend I Forgive You.

In this fallen world, none of us are immune from hurt or hurting others. If we’re honest, most of us find forgiveness hard. In this easy-to-read book, Wendy Alsup gives us space to wrestle with the complexity of forgiveness and encouragement to desire it. Our eyes are lifted to the God who is sovereign, gracious, and kind—and that’s always a hope-filled place for a struggling Christian to gaze toward.

There is no better guide than Wendy Alsup to the important but difficult terrain of forgiveness and reconciliation. Drawing with honesty upon her own stories of deep hurt and bringing the Scriptures to life in profound ways, Wendy offers a deeply hopeful vision of God’s ability to bring reconciliation in seemingly impossibly broken situations and to give us peace even when our relationships fall short of God’s vision for them. A beautiful and rich reflection, shaped by deep biblical wisdom on every page.

This book reveals Wendy Alsup at her best. She has a gift for making Scripture accessible, compelling, and relevant. I’ve read dozens of books on forgiveness, and I Forgive You is my new favorite. It might just be the most compelling, practical, and relevant book on forgiveness you’ve ever read.

Christians rejoice in the wonderful forgiveness we have received in the Lord Jesus Christ, but often find it much harder to forgive others and restore broken relationships when we have been sinned against. This book will bring help, hope, and healing as Wendy Alsup applies biblical principles and practical wisdom from the remarkable story of Joseph to situations in which reconciliation seems impossible. She shares from her own experiences of painful relationship breakdowns and the peace that real repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation have brought.

Wendy has given the church a great gift. As is her hallmark, she takes us into the Scriptures deeply—this time by immersing us in the story of Joseph. Through keen biblical insights coupled with wisdom forged from decades of following the Lord faithfully—and often at great personal cost—she has written a book that will help make us wiser in the challenging but non-negotiable Christian vocation of loving our enemies. In a day and age when worldly voices and forces are seducing us to seek to destroy our enemies, this is a timely and welcome corrective voice.

I have already found myself sharing pieces of transformative wisdom from I Forgive You. Joseph’s story took on a whole new layer of meaning as Wendy narrated the emotions of his painful betrayal and miraculous forgiveness. Every one of us will experience unexpected and devastating hurt—even from those we love. This book will be a worthy companion that calls wounded souls to the ultimate Healer, who also knew the sting of betrayal and showed us how to release others so we might truly live.

Whether you’ve been wounded and are seeking to forgive or you’re the one who’s done the wounding and are wondering how to make amends, Wendy has given you a gift in writing I Forgive You. She leads us deeper into the gospel of Jesus, which alone has the power to fix what’s broken.

A powerful and much-needed book. Drawing from personal experience and the life of Joseph, Wendy Alsup insightfully shows us the path, process, and price of forgiveness and reconciliation. I Forgive You helped me acknowledge my own ambiguous losses and will undoubtedly aid countless others in their journey toward healing and wholeness. Highly recommend!

Wendy Alsup is a theological heavyweight who writes with the real and gentle touch of a friend. Her teaching is biblically rich, spiritually nuanced, deeply wise, and thoroughly relatable. In I Forgive You, she applies her powers to one of the hardest questions we face: how to forgive. In these pages, you will fill yourself on God’s word in the company of one who knows and cares about your pain. I am so grateful Wendy had the courage to take us on this journey with her—it will be a tremendous resource for us all.

Wendy understands the feelings of disappointment, grief, and betrayal that linger long after a relationship is severed. She also knows there is hope for healing and restoration—even when it seems impossible. Real- istic, vulnerable, and biblically faithful, she is a wise and compassionate guide on the path to forgiveness.